Motorists also faced lengthy hold-ups in areas such as Chapel Allerton, Chapeltown and Sheepscar.

A traffic light failure at Canal Street’s junction with the Armley Gyratory added to the problems.

Bus services in and around the middle of Leeds were said to be delayed by more than an hour.

A separate accident was also causing disruption for drivers on the A638 Doncaster Road at Crofton in Wakefield, with the route closed in both directions between the A645 Weeland Road and A655 Black Road.

An earlier accident shut all three lanes on the M1 northbound between junctions 40 (A638 Ossett) and 41 (A650 Carr Gate).

And yet another accident closed one lane on the M62 eastbound between junctions 22 (A672 Rishworth Moor) and 23 (A640 Huddersfield).